The project will help reduce emissions in the shipping industry.

Lloyd's Register (LR) has signed an agreement with German developer DAI Infrastruktur GmbH (DAI) to provide advisory services for Project Ra, a large-scale green ammonia production and bunkering development at East Port Said, Egypt

Project Ra is expected to have a production capacity of up to two million tonnes of green ammonia annually (mtpa), with 1.65mn tonnes produced from renewable energy sources, with production scheduled to start in 2029. Located strategically next to the Suez Canal, it offers a critical bunkering hub for ammonia-fuelled vessels navigating one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. It is expected to play a key role in supplying key European ports with green ammonia, for use as bunkering fuel, electricity generation, and reducing CO₂ emissions in industrial processes such as steel production.

The development aligns with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO)  regulations which will require the use of low- and zero-carbon fuels from 2030 onwards.

LR’s advisory services will cover demand-side pricing analyses, infrastructure planning, asset integrity and risk assessments, regulatory guidance, lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions analysis, and market and offtake strategy support. LR will also undertake concept design reviews, feasibility studies and performance benchmarking aligned to ISO 55000.

Panos Mitrou, Global Gas Segment director, Lloyd's Register, said, “Our partnership with DAI demonstrates LR's commitment to supporting the development of critical alternative fuel supply chains that will enable shipowners to navigate the post-MEPC 83 regulatory landscape successfully.

Ioannis Papassavvas, CEO of DAI Infrastruktur, added, “Project Ra represents a critical step in delivering green ammonia at the scale and reliability the maritime sector urgently needs. LR’s advisory support will be vital to ensure Project Ra meets the highest international standards, while aligning with the long-term needs of shipowners and global regulators.”

Fossil fuels continue to dominant the global energy system.

Fossil fuels continue to dominate the global energy system, with fast-growing renewables adding to the overall energy mix rather than replacing them, according to the Energy Institute’s latest Statistical Review of World Energy, produced in collaboration with KPMG and Kearney

Wind and solar combined grew by over 18% in 2024, making them the fastest-growing areas of the energy system, with China responsible for 56% of new wind and solar additions. But global energy demand is rising even faster, with total fossil fuel use growing by just over 1% and oil remaining the largest source of energy, accounting for 34% of total global demand.

Crude oil demand remained flat in OECD countries, but rose 1% in non-OECD countries, with Africa and the Middle East the fastest-growing regions in terms of oil demand. The USA is the world’s largest oil producer, accounting for 20% of global production in 2024.

Global natural gas demand rose by 2.5% as gas markets rebalanced after the 2023 slump. Global natural gas production rose to 4,124 bcm with the largest producers being the US, Russia, Iran, and China, which has risen from being the world’s sixth largest gas producer to its fourth over the last 10 years.

This simultaneous growth in clean and conventional energy illustrates the structural, economic, and geopolitical barriers to achieving a truly coordinated global energy transition, the Energy Institute comments, noting the 1% rise in energy emissions to record levels.

Total energy supply rose by 2% to reach a new high of 592 EJ, with records reached across all forms of energy. At 4%, electricity demand growth continued to outpace total energy demand growth, an indicator that the age of electricity is not just emerging but is shaping a new global energy system.

Energy Institute president Andy Brown OBE FEI said, “This year’s data reflects a complex picture of the global energy transition. Electrification is accelerating, particularly across developing economies where access to modern energy is expanding rapidly. However, the pace of renewable deployment continues to be outstripped by overall demand growth, 60% of which was met by fossil fuels. The result is a fourth consecutive year of record emissions, highlighting the structural challenges in aligning global energy consumption with climate goals.”

Dr Nick Wayth CEng FEI, CEO of the Energy Institute highlighted China’s influence over global energy trends, as it expands renewable capacity alongside coal, gas and oil. “The scale and direction of China’s energy choices will be pivotal in determining whether the world can deliver a secure, affordable, and low-carbon energy future."

Dr Romain Debarre, partner and managing director Energy Transition Institute, Kearney stated: “Energy security, resource access, and technological sovereignty are now taking priority over climate goals. This year’s data reveals three trends that are shaping the energy landscape: energy use is rising, but patterns are shifting; electrification is rapidly accelerating; and the energy transition remains chaotic.

“We are witnessing the dangers of a disorderly transition and the cost of inaction in real time. We have the strategies, technologies, and know-how to deliver net zero with an integrated, secure, and people-centred approach. Now, we must move from promises to action, at scale and at speed.”

Wafa Jafri, lead of Energy and Natural Resources Strategy and Partner KPMG in the UK observed Europe’s slowing progress on renewables and growth in China and emerging markets. “What’s emerging is not a uniform transition, but a disorderly one.

“Leaders navigating this need to look beyond headlines and towards practical delivery, regional opportunity, and strategies built for resilience as all facets of the energy trilemma: affordability, security of supply and decarbonisation, compete for priority.”

OEG and Al Nasr strengthen Qatar links. (Image source: OEG)

Global energy solutions firm OEG has finalised an evergreen agreement with Al Nasr Holding Co. in Qatar to deepen its involvement in the nation’s oil and gas sector

Earlier this year, OEG joined forces with Venture Gulf Engineering (VGE) — a leading specialist in container manufacturing, testing and certification, and a subsidiary of Al Nasr Holding Co. — to support Qatar’s energy sector with ISO cryogenic tanks for the safe transportation of nitrogen (N₂), enhancing logistics capabilities in the region.

The latest agreement further reinforces the strategic partnership with VGE and enhances existing support for the oil and gas, petrochemical and industrial sectors in Qatar.

The alliance, which has grown from an initial fleet of 40 cargo carrying units to more than 3,000 assets strategically positioned throughout the region, demonstrates the robustness of the OEG and VGE partnership and the high level of trust driving its success, an OEG statement read.

“This agreement formalises the relationship between OEG and VGE in Qatar, as the country advances its oil and natural gas production capabilities, and will enable us to provide top-tier logistics equipment solutions that can meet the demands of the energy and industrial sectors,” said Chris Kleinhans, regional director for OEG’s logistics equipment division in the Middle East.

Kleinhans said that the new agreement with Al Nasr Holding Co. establishes a framework for driving the future growth of both OEG and VGE, that will positively impact the local economy and ensure seamless access to services for customers.

“Our shared strategic focus, to develop a sustainable business model in the region, is crucial to the long-term growth of the partnership.

“Our combined resources and expertise help us to meet the immediate needs of our customers and adapt to future challenges and opportunities, with a continued emphasis on innovation that is improving value and efficiency.”

Read more:

Shell forecasts 60% rise in LNG demand by 2040

Enermech secures Qatar contract extension

QatarEnergy launches enhanced ICV programme

Manufacturers can now use CONNECT with Databricks. (Image source: AVEVA)

AVEVA, a global leader in industrial software, has been named the 2025 Databricks Manufacturing ISV Partner of the Year. Announced at the annual Data + AI Summit, the recognition honours AVEVA’s outstanding contributions to data-driven innovation in the manufacturing sector.

Over the past year, AVEVA has partnered closely with Databricks to launch a pioneering integrative solution via its CONNECT industrial intelligence platform.

This collaboration redefines how industrial and enterprise data are unified, analysed, and actioned, solving a critical challenge in modern industry: converting fragmented OT and IT data into meaningful, trusted insights.

By combining the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform with CONNECT, users can securely integrate industrial and enterprise data in an open, scalable, and governed way, using Delta Sharing, Databricks’ open-source technology for cross-platform, cross-cloud live data sharing.

This enables advanced capabilities such as AI, machine learning, and real-time analytics to be applied to previously siloed data sets.

As a result, manufacturers can now use CONNECT with Databricks to drive smarter decision-making, predictive maintenance, demand forecasting, sustainability tracking, safety improvements, and enhanced operational efficiency, while reducing development time and costs, and accelerating time-to-value.

“At AVEVA, we’re proud to have established Databricks and Delta Sharing as key foundation-stones of our strategy for our industrial intelligence platform, CONNECT,” said Bry Dillon, SVP of Partners and Commercial Strategy at AVEVA.

“Together, we’re enabling our joint customers to access real-time insights, accelerate AI, and deliver tangible outcomes across the industrial landscape. Our partnership with Databricks marks a pivotal moment in the advancement of industrial AI. This collaboration presents a powerful opportunity to accelerate the deployment of AI-driven solutions and drive greater industry wide collaboration — capabilities that are needed for companies across the industrial sector to stay relevant, remain competitive, and build efficient, sustainable businesses of the future.

"We are thrilled to name AVEVA the 2025 Databricks Manufacturing ISV Partner of the Year," said Shiv Trisal, Global Manufacturing, Transportation & Energy GTM Leader at Databricks. "As more enterprises leverage data intelligence to solve challenges across the manufacturing and energy industries, AVEVA's partnership with Databricks is essential to helping organisations everywhere harness the full potential of their data."